Source of visual and ultra violet radiation



Aug. 4, 1942.

G. SPERTI SOURCE OF VISUAL AND ULTRA-VIOLET RADIATION Filed Aug. 3, 1940 INVENTOR. GEORGE SPER r1.

ATTO R N EYS.

" Patented Aug. 4, 1942 2,291,926 SOURCE OF VISUAL AND ULTRA VIOLET RADIATION George Sperti, Covington, Ky., assignor to Science Laboratories, Inc., Norvvood, Ohio, a

corporation of Ohio Application August s, 1940, Serial N... 350,424

4Claims. (01. 240 1.1)

My invention relates to the use of sources of filtered ultra-violet light 'in combination with means for generating light in-the visual spectrum, for general illuminating use. The combination which characterizes my invention has, for exam le, been found to be of very great benefit in kindergardens and playrooms for children:

and in trials during the winter time has shown that absence due to respiratory disorders can be very greatly cutdown. An object of my invention may be stated as the provlsio'no! a light source which not only gives the visual eiIec't of art, my present invention is not confined to the use of the ultra-violet sources of the'copending application referred to; but these sources are well adapted to the uses of the present invention. Detailed description of them is not required in view of the reference to the said copending application; and suflicient of their structure for the purpose otthis disclosure is indi- 'cated inFlg. 2.

This ultra-violet source comprises an envelope l which is of a material pervious to the ultraviolet light but in the present instance will have sunlight but the therapeutic value of sunlight as well. A further object of my invention is the provision of a lighting means capable of continuous use by human'beings without deleterious effects either upon the unshaded eyes-or physically. To this end the ultra-violet radiation is filtered for the removal of the short wave lengths which produce irritation of the eyes, and is combined with sources of visual light such as to give illumination of good visual quality.

Another object of myinvention is the inexpensive provision of a source of illumination havin. the visual quality of sunlight to the extent that color values and color perspectives are substantially the same as in daylight illumination.

These and other objects of my invention which will be set forth hereinafter or will be apparent to one skilled in the art upon reading this specification, I accomplish by that construction and arrangement of parts of which I shall now de- I scribe an exemplary embodiment. Reference is made to the drawing wherein: Figure 1 shows an assembly of radiation units suitable for the practice of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a circuit diagram pertaining to the a structure of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is aperspective view of a unitary assembly of sources. In my copending application entitled Ultraviolet light sources, Serial No. 350,425 filed Aug-' ust 3, 1940, I have set forth a particular source of visual and ultra-violet radiation, which source is self-starting and is adapted to give ultra-violet such a provision and are, therefore, intended for use in connection with external impedances such as transformers, choke coils, resistances or the like.

As will be apparent to the skilled worker in the a filtering action such as to be substantially opaque to radiation of wave lengths shorter than 2750 A. U. I may thus make the envelope I of any of the glasses having such. action, such for example asGorex. It is not beyond the piri of my invention, however. to employ an envelope pervious to all wave lengths of ultra-violet light such as, for example, an envelope of quartz providing a suitable filtering is employed in connection. with the light source. Such a filter might be a, tube oi filtering substance surrounding the light source or a cover for the combined fixture hereinafter described, which cover will have filtering action. Therefore, in the ensuins description and in the claims which follow. in referring to a light source delivering filtered ultra-violet light, I desire it to be understood as including an unfiltered source in combination with a filter.

The action of the filter is such as to eliminate the irritant efi'ect of unfiltered ultra-violet light and its intense ozone producing faculty and to retain the continuous use of the ultra-violet light source safe for the unshaded human eyes.

Two leads 2 and 3 and a pair of electrode structures 4 and 5. which are preferably in the form of grids, ,are disposed in the envelope I. A filament F connects the two power leads. Within the electrode, or otherwise associated with it, I provide a sleeve 6 or I, which sleeve is coated with an electron emissive substance. The portions of the filament F are so associated with these sleeves as to heat them. For alternatin current operation each electrode will be as described; but for direct current operation the electron emissive structure may be omitted as to one electrode.

The envelope I contains an atmosphere of suitable composition and pressure, and also preferably a small quantity of mercury. When power is applied to such a light source, the circuit is completed by the filament F which begins to glow. The emissive sleeves '6' and I are heated,

been stated, require an external ballast, as they are usually made; but they are self-starting and require no external starting equipment. They give a relatively high and useful degree of ultraviolet radiation together with a partially balancing incandescent radiation. I have found, however, that by suitably increasing the incandescent radiation, a light may be produced which is visually like sunlight and has very much the same therapeutic qualities. I have further found that different radiations mayv be produced inexpensively by employing as a ballast for one or more of my sources of ultra-violet radiation, 'one or more incandescent bulbs of suitable voltage and amperage. As a consequence in making fixtures for visual illumination, I combine one or more of the ultra-violet sources U. V. with one or more incandescent lamps I. With the ultra-violet source as I concurrently manufacture them, I employ a single incandescent bulb having a voltage rating of say, 80 volts for proper life at the usual brilliance, or withtwo incandescent lamps having voltage ratings of between 40 and 65 volts. The ultra-violet source or sources and the incandescent lampv or lamps are connected in series. Thus the use 'of a separateimpedance for the ultra-violet source isavoided and the wattage which would otherwise 'be dissipated in heat if a resistance ballast wereused is utilized for the production of visual illumination.

The light sources may be mounted in the arrangement shown in Fig. 1 in sockets 8,.9 and I0 against a reflector or on a metal background II. It will be understood that my invention is by no means restricted to this particular arrangement and that the skill of the light fixture designer is admitted for the production of numerous arrangements in an unlimited variety of decorative supports.

, While in Fig. 2 I haveshown a source of ultraviolet and two incandescent sources in series, the skilled worker will understand in the light of my teachings how to make other combinations. Depending upon the characteristics of the elements involved, one such combination comprise two tube-like sources of ultra-violet radiation and a single low voltage but relatively high amperage incandescent source connected'in series. Combination units for the replacement of incandescent sources may be made in accordance with the principles of my invention. In Fig. 3 I have shown such a combination device including a bracket means I2, bearing a socket 13, for a low voltage high wattage lamp l4, and also bearing, a suitable screw or other base I5, to be accepted in the usual socket or power outlet. The bracket l2 carries a pair of hollow tubes l6 and I! generally paralleling the socket l3 and carrying flexible extensions l8 and I9, having on their ends so'ckets and 2|. These sockets are designed to accept the tube-like ultra-violet sources U. V. The flexible tubing l8, l9, permits adjustment of the placing of the ultra-violet sources with respect to the incandescent source. The wiring (not shown) is such as to effect a series connection between sockets 20, I3 and 2|.

I do not claim to be the first to suggest the use of an incandescent filament as a ballast or controlling impedance for an arc source, whether in the same or in separate envelopes. My inyentionhowever, is directed to the problem of producing by means of the combinations to which I have referred herein, a unitary source of radiation which not only is balanced so as to be substantially like sunlight in visual and color eflects, but also to have substantially the same therapeutic, germicidal and activation efiects as sunlight per unit of radiation. This involves a number of considerations. It involves the use of practicallyconstant potential sources. It involves the filtering of the ultra-violet radiation to the extent of removing all appreciable radiation which is shorter than 2700 A. U. so that the therapeutic activation and germicidal efiects are secured without irritation of the eyes or skin even under prolonged exposure at ordinary work ing distances, and so that the physically irritant efiects of the shorter .wave lengths are removed. In some instances, and particularly with elongated sources of ultra-violet light, it involves certain problems of placement of the sources with respect to each other so that the proper blending of the radiations is secured in the working direction. In the structures of my invention, the incandescent bulb or bulbs will also be so proportioned to the characteristics-of the ultra-violet source or sources as to increase the pressure in the arc, thereby increasing the energy at and around 2700 A. U. r

Modifications may bemadein my invention without departing from the spirit of it.

,Having thus described myinvention in the aforesaid exemplary embodiment, I set forth in the appended claims the inventive subject matter which I consider to. be inherent in the exemplary embodiment as sodescribed. What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a lighting fixture, the combination of a bracket, a base attached to said-bracket for engagement in an electrical connector, a socket attached to said bracket opposite said base, a pair of interspaced arms attached to.said bracket and extending downwardly 'therethrough, bearing each a socket, all 01' said sockets being connected in series, said firstmentioned socket being adapted'to receive an incandescent bulb, said last mentioned sockets being adapted to-receive elongated tube-like sources or ultra-violet radiaiition, said last mentioned sockets beihgdisposed with their axes substantially in a plane normal tothe axis of said first mentioned socket, whereby said tube-like sources will be disposed axially, substantially in said normal plane.

2. In a lighting fixture, the combination of a bracket, a base attached 'to said bracket for engagement in an electrical connector, 9. socket attached to said bracket opposite said base, a pair of 'interspaced arms attached to said bracket and extending downwardly therethrough, bearing each a socket, all of said sockets being connected in series, said first mentioned socketbeing adapted to receive anincandescent bulb, said last mentioned sockets being adapted to receive elongated tube-like sources of ultra-violet radiation, said last mentioned sockets being disposed with their axes substantially in a plane normal to the axis of said first mentioned socket, whereby said tube-like sources will be disposed axially, substantially in said normal plane, in combination with tube-like sources of ultra-violet light delivering an ultra-violet spectrum from which wave lengths substantially shorter than 2750 A. U. are substantially excluded, and an incandescent lamp in said first mentioned socket, said incandescent lamp having such resistance as will provide a proper ballast for said tube-like sources of ultra-violet light, and the radiation outputs of said incandescent lamp and said sources being so proportioned as to give the visual and color effects \ofsunlight and a therapeutic effect similar to sunlight without irritant effect on the unshaded human eyes.

3. In a lighting fixture, the combination of a bracket, a base attached to said bracket for engagement in an electrical connector, a socket attached to said bracket opposite said base, a pair of interspaced arms attached to said bracket and extending downwardly therethrough, bearing each a socket, all of said sockets being connected in series, said first mentioned socket being adapted to receive an incandescent bulb, said last mentioned sockets being adapted to receive elongated tube-like sources of ultra-violet radiation, said last mentioned sockets being disposed with their axes substantially in a plane normal to the axis or said first mentioned socket, where by said tube-like sources will be disposed axially, substantially in said normal plane, said arms comprising flexible elements whereby the position 01' the ultra-violet sources may be varied with respect to the position of said incandescent bulb.

4. In a. lighting fixture, the combination of a bracket, a base attached to said bracket for engagement in an electrical connector, a socket attached to said bracket opposite said base, a pair of interspaced arms attached to said bracket and extending downwardly therethrough, bearing each a-socket, all 01' said sockets being connected in series, said first mentioned socket being adapted to receive an incandescent bulb, said last mentioned'sockets being adapted to receive elongated tube-like sources of ultra-violet radiation, said last mentioned sockets being disposed with their axes substantially in a plane normal to the axis or said first mentioned socket whereby said tube-like sources will be disposed axially, substantially in said normal plane, the length of said arms being such as to present said ultra-violet sources at a leveisubstantially coincident with the end oi said incandescent bulb GEORGE SPERTI. 

